And even though there’s currently a majority on the Supreme Court in favor of the Second Amendment, it’s only a one-vote margin. That doesn’t give me much comfort, particularly since we’ve seen examples of Justices ignoring their oathwhen subjected to political pressure.

On the other hand, I’m somewhat optimistic because gun owners and defenders of the Constitution have done a remarkable job in expanding and extending our Second Amendment rights at the state level.

For instance, check out this map of concealed-carry laws in the United States. The first thing to notice is that every single state allows citizens to carry, with the only real difference being whether the law is “shall issue” or “may issue.”

I’m a bit mystified, for what it’s worth, that Alabama has a relatively weak “may issue” law. Do they really want to be in the same anemic category as California?!?

Now let’s look at this map of stand-your-ground laws. The right of self-defense is not as ubiquitous as the right of concealed-carry, but the trend is very positive with more states moving from blue to red over time.

I’m puzzled why Nebraska and Missouri have weak New York-style laws, but I imagine those colors will change in a couple of years.

By the way, state legislatures are not the only place where we’re making progress. Thanks to scholars such as John Lott, it’s increasingly clear that social science research leans in favor of private gun ownership.

So what does all this mean? To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure. It does appear, however, that the political elite is moving in the wrong direction on the Second Amendment and the American people are moving in the right direction.

I don’t know what side will win, but it’s a safe bet that we’ll have some major political battles in the future.

P.S. If you enjoy anti-gun control humor, here are some amusing videos.

Thanks for that. Surprising info on some states that you would not expect to have the restrictions that they do. In any case, if you have to shoot someone to protect yourself or another, it’s gonna be a bad day for you. The libs act like people put in that situation get some sort of joy out of it. (I suppose there are a few who would due to the variety of personalities out there) I’m hopefully that our 2nd amendment rights will stand but when I see didiots running down the street wearing placards that say “end white supremacy”, I get a little concerned about what these fools have been taught. (White kids wearing these signs during a support st. travon “rally”. I guess they are guily(?) of white privelege.)

I don’t believe the evil party of death wants to die on this particular hill.

Thinking patriotic Americans will make a stand against the socialist tyranny of this evil Obama administration. This is the issue that may very well leave these haters of America and freedom in the dust. However, alongside of these evildoers will be the complicit RINOs that affect and infect this nation thereby abetting their cousins across the aisle.

4
posted on 07/20/2013 8:19:04 AM PDT
by IbJensen
(Liberals are like Slinkies, good for nothing, but you smile as you push them down the stairs.)

It’s not just the Second Amendment we should be pessimistic about. Given the Liberal agenda and the shifting demographics that will put and keep the Liberals in power, we should also be pessimistic about Amendments 1, 4, 9 & 10.

True, but the 2A is more or less in effect because of the NRA and other groups.

We have general freedom of the press for the same reason. The press can make electoral life very difficult for politicians who wish to repress it.

What about our other rights that do not have civil protectors?

Our God given rights to free exercise of religion, security of our persons, papers and effects, to a grand jury, double jeopardy, taking of private property, the 9th and 10th Amendments . . . have been greatly diminished or practically excised from the constitution because they do not have adequate support.

On Jan. 4 of last year, a local narcotics strike force conducted a raid on the Ogden, Utah, home of Matthew David Stewart at 8:40 p.m. The 12 officers were acting on a tip from Mr. Stewart’s former girlfriend, who said that he was growing marijuana in his basement. Mr. Stewart awoke, naked, to the sound of a battering ram taking down his door. Thinking that he was being invaded by criminals, as he later claimed, he grabbed his 9-millimeter Beretta pistol.
[image] Sean McCabe

The police say that they knocked and identified themselves, though Mr. Stewart and his neighbors said they heard no such announcement. Mr. Stewart fired 31 rounds, the police more than 250. Six of the officers were wounded, and Officer Jared Francom was killed. Mr. Stewart himself was shot twice before he was arrested. He was charged with several crimes, including the murder of Officer Francom.

The police found 16 small marijuana plants in Mr. Stewart’s basement. There was no evidence that Mr. Stewart, a U.S. military veteran with no prior criminal record, was selling marijuana. Mr. Stewart’s father said that his son suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and may have smoked the marijuana to self-medicate.

Like all other rights, the 2nd Amendment is a battleground between those who seek to preserve it and those who seek to erode it. The battle never ends. And complacency with the status quo almost insures there will be erosion.

This means there is no choice but to continue to lobby for gun liberty.

Most of the battles are and will be fought at the level of the individual states. Some future battles include:

States that issue licenses and permits should be encouraged to no longer require them at all, like Arizona, as a cost savings measure, and because there is no advantage to issuing such licenses and permits.

Suggesting that states should create enabling laws to encourage gun and ammunition manufacturers to create guns and ammunition unique to that state, and only for use within that state. While many such guns are purely decorative, the purpose of these laws is to eventually challenge the BATF&E over its authority to regulate *intrastate* commerce in guns and ammunition.

Encourage the states to again sponsor rifle clubs in the schools, and shooting competitions between schools, as well as providing school elective courses in gun safety and maintenance and gun culture.

Encourage the states to create enabling laws so that urban underground public gun ranges can be built in industrial parks. Such ranges could also save municipalities money on police gun qualification, and putting them in industrial parks avoids the NIMBY zoning problems.

The school system is an active center for anti-gun attitudes. School personnel are terrifying children regarding guns and their individual rights. Once these kids grow to adulthood, they will be so frightened of the consequences of exercising their rights they won’t even look at a picture of a gun and will refuse to say words like “gun”. The message to children is overwhelming and clear—you think about protecting yourself with a gun and you will be a societal outcast and risk abuse.

18
posted on 07/20/2013 9:33:58 AM PDT
by iacovatx
(Conservatism is the political center--it is not "right" of center)

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